Irish Druids and Old Irish Religions

Irish
Bards,
37
crlos or hzXX. Is but a variation." In Smith's Dictionary
of the Bible, the rch"gion of the Phoenicians is described
in the way Morien has done that of the Druids ;— " a
personification of the forces of nature, which, in its more
philosophical shadowing forth of the Supreme powers, may
be said to have represented the male and female principles
of production."
The Sabbath—a Babylonian word—was, It is said, kept
on the 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd, 29th of months, as with the Magi
of the East. Philo says all nations of antiquity kept the
seventh day holy. Porphyry mentions the same thing of
the heathen. Professor Sayce finds it was a day of rest
with ancient Assyrians, as Dr. Schmidt of temple pagan
worship. Eusebius asserted that almost all philosophers
acknowledged It. The Roman Pontiffs regulated the
The
Sabbath, and Roman school-boys had then a holiday.
Persian word Shabet Is clearly of Assyrian origin. The
authoress of MazzarotJi says, " The Assyrians, Babylonians,
Egyptians, Chinese, and the natives of India were acquainted
with
the seven days division of time, as were the
Druids." The sun, moon, and five planets were the
guardians of the
days.
IRISH BARDS.
The Bards proper occupied a high position In Ireland.
The Ollamhs had colleges at Clogher, Armagh, Lismore,
and Tamar. On this. Walker's Historical Memoirs, 1786,
observes that " all the eminent schools, delectably situated,
which were established by the Christian clergy In the fifth
century, were erected on the ruins of those colleges." They
studied for twelve years to gain the barred cap and title
of Ollamh or teacher. They were OllamJiain Re-dan, or
Filidhe, poets. They acted as heralds, knowing the gene-